RU-486 Claims Teenage Victim
Judicial Watch Continues to Fight FDA Over Approval of Dangerous Abortion Pill

Three years ago, Judicial Watch attempted to uncover the truth behind the Food and Drug Administration's "fast track" approval of RU-486, otherwise known as the abortion pill. In a complaint filed with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Judicial Watch warned, "the FDA's approval of RU-486 raises far-reaching health concerns for women and their unborn children in the United States." Those words, unfortunately, have proven prophetic.

On September 17, California teen Holly Patterson died seven days after taking the pill and three days after taking Cytotec, the drug needed to expel the remains of the aborted fetus. The official cause of death will likely be septic shock, one known complication of an incomplete abortion. According to Jane Chastain, host of the Judicial Watch Report radio program, Holly Patterson is one of three North American women to have died after taking the drug since it was approved in September 2000, and one of 400 women who have reported serious complications.

This track record should come as no surprise to anyone. In fact, Searle, the company that manufactures the drug Cytotec issued a warning prior to the FDA's approval of RU-486 saying that, "Cytotec is not approved for the induction of labor or abortion."

According to Searle's published Important Drug Warning, "Serious adverse events reported following off-label use of Cytotec in pregnant women include maternal or fetal death; uterine hyperstimulation, rupture or perforation requiring uterine surgical repair…severe vaginal bleeding, retained placenta, shock, fetal bradycardia and pelvic pain."

"Three women are dead and countless others injured by those at the FDA who broke under the power of the abortion lobby," said JW President Tom Fitton. "Hopefully, Holly Patterson's death will cause a full-scale review of the tragic health record of the abortion pill."

Thanks to documents uncovered by Judicial Watch, President Bush is considering initiating a review of the safety and effectiveness of RU-486. Judicial Watch continues to work through the courts to force the release of more documents from the FDA in order to inform the public of the health hazards associated with the drug.